The state assembly session on Wednesday witnessed exchanges of talk over the prevailing shortage of LPG supplies amid rising cylinder prices across the country.
During Zero Hour, Congress MLA from Konegal, HD Ranganath, blamed the Centre’s foreign policy for the crisis. “The Union government has added insult to injury by raising LPG prices. The domestic cylinder has been priced at a price $900 for sale $1800. Commercial cylinder price $It is sold for 2000 LBP $4000. He claimed that this is because of Modi’s weak foreign policy.
State Minister Priyank Karg alleged that the Center misled Parliament about the availability of LPG reserves. “On February 9, Parliament was told that there was no reason to panic, thanks to reserves that would last for 75 days. On March 6, the Petroleum Minister said there was no shortage. On March 7, cylinder prices were raised. On March 10, provisions of the Essential Commodities Act were activated.
“Where is Modi today? He can wish Rashmika Mandanna (at her wedding), but he will not talk about this crisis,” Kharji said. “Netanyahu (Israeli Prime Minister) is Modi’s best friend. They walked on the beach. What happened?” He added.
BJP MLA V Sunil Kumar rejected the criticism and said the shortage was linked to global conflicts affecting fuel supplies. “If you want to play politics on this matter, I can also say that this (Congress) government is unable to solve many issues, ensure people get sand supply in coastal areas, and provide medicines in hospitals even when there is no crisis,” he said.
The dispute intensified when opposition leader R. Ashoka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah encouraged restaurant owners to close their establishments in protest. “There is no crisis in any other state. Here, we have a chief minister who has asked hotel owners to go on strike,” Ashoka alleged.
Siddaramaiah rejected the allegations. He said: “All I told the press was that the hotel owners’ protest position was correct. I did not incite them.”
Meanwhile, state Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa said the government is working with oil majors to ensure every household gets at least one cylinder per month. He added that domestic consumers will remain the priority and that essential services such as hospitals will receive uninterrupted supplies.
He also said that provisions of the Essential Commodities Act are being implemented to curb black marketing and ensure fair distribution.
Supply disruptions have already begun to impact the commercial sector in Bengaluru. The sudden throttling by the three public sector oil marketing companies — Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and Bharat Petroleum Corporation — has led to a sharp decline in the availability of commercial cylinders, the gas distributors said, adding that they were rationing cylinders and prioritizing domestic consumers and essential institutions.
“Our current guidance is clear: local supply comes first,” the employee said. “Whatever limited commercial inventory we receive is diverted to hospitals and schools. Unfortunately, restaurants and other businesses are currently at the bottom of the priority list.”
For Bengaluru’s hospitality sector, the shortage has come at a particularly difficult time, as caterers and bakery owners prepare for a busy season of weddings and events. Distributors in areas like Couponbet have reported receiving urgent calls from companies looking for even a small number of cylinders.
Lack of clarity about when supplies might stabilize has also raised concerns about illegal sales. As the shortage worsens, some companies are turning to informal channels where cylinders are sold at sharply inflated prices, agency officials said.
As the crisis continues to impact daily life, some industry voices have suggested measures to reduce fuel consumption. Chandrasekar Kotkam, vice president of Wells Fargo, urged companies to allow employees to work from home where possible in order to reduce commuting and conserve fuel.
“In today’s context, enabling work from home is not just an operational decision; it is a responsible choice,” he wrote, calling it an act of corporate social responsibility during the ongoing fuel shortage.
